Unconditionally Mission (and Love) -ON HOLD-
by XxXROWBVBXxX
Summary: AU. When her mother grows ill by a disease, Reiza needs to find a brave man to help her find the cure. Will she succeed? And what if she falls in loved? This is most like a fairy tale. I do not own IE GO Chrono Stone or anything else by Level-5. Watch out for grammar mistakes and typos. Reiza x Einamu fic.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Now, this is my first long story, so now will have many chaps, but it won't be sooo long. Well, actually is about Reiza x Einamu, I don't know but I like them together. Plus, I find Einamu very Cute with big 'c'. Now, you may find 'fancy' expressions in the story, and some of them I found on internet, cuz I wanted to sound 'fancy', if u understand of course. And well I inspired this actually like 2 weeks ago, after one of my brother's video games, so yeah, is totally like a fairy tale and AU, so if you don't like, don't read.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own IE GO Chrono Stone, either the plot, since I inspired this from a game, nor some expressions that I use to look more, you know already.**

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**Unconditionally Mission (and Love)**

**Chapter 1**

Once upon a time, in a land where princes and princess still existed and wicked step mothers held the upper hand, there lived a young girl whose name was Reiza. She was as gentle as a dove and as loving as a mother hen. With hair as gold shining color, eyes as clear and gentle as a doe's, and a smile that could melt even the hardest of hearts, she was perhaps the most beautiful girl in the land.

When Reiza was eight years old, her mother became ill with an unknown disease. Her body, it seemed, was dying. Her life gone away a little each day. Reiza's father, one of the many Spellbinders of their village, was neither proficient at his profession, nor was he a complete failure. Despite his powers, however, he was not able to conjure a cure for this disease. In desperation, he went to a respected mystic in the village across the mountains. The mystic recognized the disease the she had, but shook his head sadly at the man saying.

"The illness your wife has is very grave indeed. The only cure for it is very difficult to come by, and only the strongest and bravest men have been able to obtain them."

The man begged with the mystic saying he would do anything to see her health return. But the mystic only shook his head and refused to tell him, saying only that the news would be too hard to bear. The man begged, saying that he could endure. The mystic looked at him doubtfully, but agreed to tell him.

"The cure you seek is simple to make, yet the ingredients are very difficult to find. Along with several simple components, there are three rare, key ingredients. Without these, the spell will not work."

The mystic pulled out an old book and turned to a yellowed page.

"The first, are the harem jewels, found in the Cave of Wanting. Be warned," he said. "No man has ever returned, so content in what he finds there that he never leaves.''

"The second ingredient is the horn of the Gargoyle. The Gargoyle does not look dangerous, but he is filled with hate and at the slightest provocation will end your life.''

"Finally, there is the third ingredient, which is by far the hardest to come by. You must go to the Laperel Mountains where you will come across the cave of the Dragon. You will need the Dragon's blood to give the spell potency."

The old man had heard of the Dragon. It had plagued surrounding villages for centuries, and though many a brave knight had tried to slay the beast, none had ever succeeded. An unconscious shudder ran through his veins.

The mystic looked steadily at the old man, his clouded eyes speaking of the truths he had witnessed.

"Now you know the true dangers of her disease."

He placed the large book in front of the Spellbinder. "Go now, for I can help you no more, and it greatly saddens my heart to look upon you."

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**A/N: Yeah, yeah I know. Mother ill, girl which search for help, founds a boy, and blah and blah. But what I want to know is about the adventures he will go through. So please tell me if I should continue this, and well if there are grammar mistakes. And I told there are fancy expression, and that I took some of them from internet, since I didn't had things to write there, and I didn't wanted to look crappy neither.**

**So, tell me your opinion and let me decide if I should continue. **

**See ya!**

**Reviews?**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey guys, Happy New Year, and welcome in 2013, yeah I've waited for so loong this moment. Will this is the second chap for this story, and I want to thanks to Dolichotis-chan and SnowyWolff for their support. Thanks! Now, in this chap nothing interesting will happen, the action starts with the next chap, so be sure you watch it, ok?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own IE GO Chrono Stone, or anything else by Level-5. This is AU, and a bit of OCC-ness too.**

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**Unconditionally Mission (and Love)**

**Chapter 2**

The old Spellbinder left then, taking the book with him, and all the way home he thought about what the mystic had said. Such dangers lay in that path, and it was a path that only the truly brave or truly foolish men chose to take. He wondered if it would really be worth it for him to accept such a quest for himself, as old and as feeble as he was. He might very well die, leaving his wife alone and his daughter practically an orphan.

He pondered all these things on his journey back to his own village, and finally came to the decision that he would not seek out the ingredients. It was too much of a risk to try such a foolish thing.

By the time he had returned to the village, word had spread about the old Spellbinder's decision. He was met with hard, judgmental eyes. Whispers and lies began to spread. The people looked not on his withered face, nor on his bad legs, but on his lack of courage or will.

Made a pariah by the words of the villagers, the Spellbinder slunk back to his house and property with a heavy heart. Afraid of what the villagers might do, the Spellbinder built a wall around his home and gardens. The wall was high and smooth; no one could get in and no one would get out. The Spellbinder took great care in building the wall. He wanted to keep all the bad memories out, and live quietly with his wife for the rest of her days. He devoted himself to his family, keeping them close. Afraid of what the village might think or say to his daughter, he forbade her to leave the enclosure. The girl, who was a kind and obedient daughter, did was she was told, and no matter how much she longed for a taste of freedom, she remained faithfully inside, blocked off to the outside world.

Years passed and Reiza grew into a beautiful young girl. She did everything she could to help her parents. She took care of the household chores and the feeding of the animals and tended to her mother when she could. However, her favorite thing to do was to work in her gardens. Her mother used to watch from her window as she danced among the flowers or began to dig up earth to plant more vegetables which would grow into green and delicious things for the family. She would bring things up to the window and show them to her, until her mother became too weak to sit by the window for long.

On her thirteenth birthday, her mother gave her a locket. When her mother was little, she had been exploring a forest one day when a sudden glow appeared before her. It blinded her for a moment, but when the light receded she felt the warm glow of protection and in her palm was the necklace. It was a golden heart with small carvings of vines engraved in it. It was small and delicate, but it had lasted through years of great hardship and never once broke. That birthday was one of the happiest she'd ever had.

She would hate to see her mother suffering. If it was something to do, she will made, but if she goes to find the key ingredients for the cure, it will probably end like a sinucide mission. Her, a little house-girl to go against unknown forces and creatures? That wasn't exactly her type, but niether to stay and not doing anything. Sure for now she needs to have patience, but she was enough by all this patience, years passed and nobody wanted to accept the request. If it was someone there, but she losed that hope a long time ago, and now she doesn't have expectations from outside, no. Not anymore.

Everything she touched brought forth good things. Her gardens bloomed and prospered, and they would have been the envy of any gardener if any gardener but herself were there to see them. But there were none but her, so she contented herself to marvel at and admire them alone.

Times were not always easy, though. When money had run scarce, the Spellbinder had been forced to ask of their neighbor, a prosperous farmer, to sell some of their eggs, and occasionally a chicken, along with his own goods on market day, which was once a week. The farmer was a kind man, and she often talked to him about news of the village. Her curiosity knew no limits, and she would often find herself calling out questions to the farmer even as he was walking away from the wall. The farmer would always smile and answer every single query.

On the days that the farmer would come to collect their eggs, Reiza would finish her chores early so that she could talk to the him. On this day, she sat on a bench just outside her house with a basked of fresh eggs on her lap, waiting for the farmer and mentally tabulating her questions in order from most to least importance. She closed her eyes in thought and murmured the questions under her breath, lest she forget them.

She was enough, to wait, to see how life is going from her mother. So, she needs to do it, soon. To leave and come back just with the ingredients or not at all. She knew she could die, but that wasn't hurting so much. Not as much to lose someone you love and an important person into your life. She knows what to do know. She has all the weapons she needs to survive, and she needs to fight from now long.

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**A/N: That's the end minna-san, hope you really like it, remember action just from the third chap, so be sure you will read it. Look after typos and issues, okay guys?**

**See ya!**

**Reviews?**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Back with the next chap, I'm happy I finally made it. Well, nothing too special or important will happen, so hope u like it.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own IE GO Chrono Stone, and a bit OCC-ness, that's it.**

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**Unconditionally Mission (and Love)**

**Chapter 3**

She sat like this for a very long time, but as hard as she concentrated, she felt a growing feeling surround her as if she were being watched. She opened her eyes. Standing before her was a tall boy with tan hair and has light purple eyes. He looked to be about her age, and he was looking at her with great curiosity. She gasped and turned her head away as she felt her cheeks flush.

"Who-who are you?" she stammered.

The boy looked at her. "My name is Einamu, and nothing more. I've been sent to collect goods to take them tother marker, if I am right."

"Yes, of course." Reiza said quietly, still not brave enough to face him. A silence hung in the air as both of them waited for the other to continue.

"Are those the eggs?" he asked, gesturing towards the basket. Reiza nodded. "You know, you don't have to be so afraid of me. I won't eat you or anything."

She stole a quick glance at him and muttered an apology. The boy looked at her amused. It was mysterious, but warm and friendly, and all of a sudden, she felt more relaxed.

"What's your name?" Einamu asked her.

"Reiza," she replied, finally able to look into his eyes. They were beautiful.

"Reiza," the boy repeated, "It suits you." she smiled timidly at him and clutched her locket.

He smiled weakly back. "That's a beautiful necklace."

She looked down quickly at the locket, then back at him. She smiled timidly. "Thank you."

He straightened his shoulders suddenly and stood at attention. "Well, Reiza, it was a pleasure to meet you, and from now and forever I am at your service." He swept off an imaginary hat and bowed deeply.

He looked up at her and held her gaze. Without taking his eyes off hers, he reached out and took the basket from her. "Until we meet again, my lady."

Reiza sat there, staring at his back until he disappeared behind the wall.

Einamu came the next week instead of the farmer. He came the week after that, and after that, until finally it became a ritual for the two. Reiza would meet him outside with her basket of eggs and he would come bearing his warm smile and his easy-going laugh. They would talk with each other about everything there was to talk about, and then some. Every time he came, she felt more and more comfortable around him. Soon her nervousness and trepidation lessened and she grew to enjoy his presence more and more.

She didn't know what, but there was something about this boy that mad her feel, like herself. In all of her days, when she had been caring for her mother and father or for the house and the animals, she had never felt as she did when she was talking to him. Something awoke in her and bloomed brightly.

The same feeling bloomed in him as well. He lived a simple life on his father's farm, helping him out where he could, and working hard in preparation to inherit the estate. He'd never met a girl like her. She was sweet and innocent. Not like the girls of the village who flaunted themselves and paraded around him. She wasn't like that. She just seemed to enjoy talking to him and wanted naught else.

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**A/N: That's it guys, I know is totally boring, and crappy, but I work on it, so don't worry okay?**

**See ya!**

**Reviews?**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey guys. I know I didn't update it yesterday, but anyways. Well, I made a much long chap for the people who like this story. Dolichotis-chan, SnowyWolff, and Twilight-A-14. Thanks guys, without you, nothing could be possible.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own IE GO Chrono Stone or anything else by Level-5, OCC-ness, and that's all.**

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**Unconditionally Mission (and Love)**

**Chapter 4**

As the weeks passed, Einamu began finding excuses to visit her. He'd noticed on his last visit that there was a crack in the foundation of the wall and he thought he might fix it. Or, while they were talking the day before, he'd heard the squeak of a window as it turned on its hinge. That needed mending right away.

Reiza would always smile and talk to him as he slowly mended whatever needed mending.

Then one day, Einamu showed up at the wall unannounced. Reiza was working in the garden and stood up, brushing the dirt covered hands on her frock.

"Einamu!" she said, a bit startled. "What are you doing here?"

His expression concerned her. He looked serious and nervous, though she hadn't a clue as to why. She wiped a hair away from her face, getting a smear of dirt on her cheek. She waited for Einamu to say something.

He opened his mouth and started to speak, then closed it. He stepped forward and closed the gap between them. "Reiza," he said softly. He reached out to brush the dirt off her cheek, but instead of letting his hand drop, he kept it there. Then he leaned his head down and kissed her.

"Reiza, I love you. Will you marry me?"

Reiza looked up into his eyes and smiled a smile that he loved. "Of course I will," she said.

The Spellbinder stood in his office, having been caught in the middle of casting a spell. "You did _what_?"

Einamu stood in the Spellbinder's office trying to look as respectable and dependable as he could. He held tightly to Reiza's hand. "Sir, I proposed marriage to your daughter.''

The Spellbinder furrowed and un-furrowed his brow several times, opening and closing his mouth, yet not finding anything to say. He looked from his daughter to this boy he hardly knew. The wall had hardened him, and his family meant everything to him.

Einamu, seeing the Spellbinder at a loss of words, spoke up, "Sir, I know it is hard for one to part with one's only child, but believe me when I say that my love for Reiza is true, and I would do anything for her."

The Spellbinder's head snapped up and he looked sharply at him, as if he doubted the boy's statement. Einamu almost took half a step backwards, but still firmly held his ground. The spellbinder walked around his desk and began straightening some papers.

"My daughter is too young to be married," said he. "I shall not give away my only flower at such a young age to a boy I do not even know."

Reiza gasped and Einamu took a step forward in protest.

"Please, sir, I am honorable, I swear to you. Is there not some way that I could prove myself? Something I could do, anything?''

Einamu let go of Reiza's small hand and stood in front of the Spellbinder's desk and looked him squarely in the eye.

"Anything."

The Spellbinder looked at the boy staring so determinedly at him, and then turned to his daughter. He thought of all of the happy days she'd had in this house. Was she ready to leave them all behind her? He thought of his wife, sleeping in their bed. How many nights had she whispered to him about how their son-in-law might look and act? Would his wife, were she strong enough to even stand up, stand there behind his desk with him and let their daughter go? But his wife was not strong enough. His wife…

"Anything, you say?" The Spellbinder quickly got up and went to his bookcase, scanning the titles quickly.

"Y-Yes sir, anything to prove myself worthy of your daughter."

"I felt the same way about my wife." The Spellbinder said, pulling out the large, leather bound book that the mystic had given him.

"Still feel that way in fact. I feel as if I could do anything for her." He blew off the dust from its surface and cracked the book open. "I failed at that, however. I-I just wasn't strong enough."

"Father," Reiza started.

"Please, no, let me continue."

Reiza squeezed his hand as he looked steadfastly forward at the Spellbinder.

"Anything is a very big word, son, very big indeed. So, I propose a quest to prove your courage."

"Father! You can't be serious!"

The Spellbinder coolly looked at his daughter. "Perfectly, my dear."

"But Father, it's dangerous! He could d-" Reiza choked on the word and tears began to well in her eyes.

Einamu held both of her shoulders and turned him towards her. She could barely meet his eyes as she held back tears.

"Reiza," he whispered, "Listen to me. I will never leave you. But, if this is the only way to prove myself worthy of you, then I have to try."

He looked at the Spellbinder who was staring at the page of ingredients, contemplating it. Then, without any further hesitation, he ripped it out and handed it to the boy.

Einamu looked at the paper briefly, and then rolled it up. "I accept your quest, sir." He nodded at the Spellbinder. "I will leave tomorrow."

He took Reiza's hand and left the room. He strode ahead, mentally counting the things he needed. Food, water, money, a rope, a blanket…

"Einamu, wait! You don't have to do this! There has to be another way, i-it's too dangerous! We can runaway-"

"Reiza. Listen to yourself. Do you know how much that would hurt your father? You know you could never do that." He put his hand on her cheek as she let out a short sob.

"I just don't want to loose you," she cried. "What if-"

"Reiza. I promised didn't I? I won't leave you. Ever. But I have to prove myself. I couldn't live with myself if I knew I had stolen you from your father. No, I'm going to do this the honorable way."

"Hmph. Then you'll need this."

The two turned to see the Spellbinder at the doorway, holding something long, sheathed in a dirty scabbard. He tossed it to Einamu who caught it easily. He unsheathed it and stood awestruck at what he saw.

The sword was beautiful. It shone brightly in the afternoon sun and it looked to be made of something otherworldly. The hilt was just as beautiful, made simply and sturdy, but something about it seemed to shine as hr tested it in his hand. He sheathed it and looked respectfully at the Spellbinder.

"Thank you, sir. I will return it to you safely."

"See that you do. It was passed down by my thrice great-grandfather. He won it off some daemon or other." And with that, the Spellbinder retreated back into the house.

Reiza's eyes shone as she looked at Einamu for what very well might have been the last time. He began to say something, but she suddenly started fumbling at the clasps of her necklace.

"Reiza, what are you doing?" He looked at her strangely as she finally managed to undo her necklace and shakily held it by the chain and offered it to him. "Reiza, that's your mother's necklace. I can't-"

"Please. Take it."

She took his hand and uncurled his fingers, gently placing the golden locket in his hand. She folded his fingers and held them in her own.

"Come back soon," she whispered. She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.

_Well, I guess I'm on my own. _

He looked back at the great wall he'd left behind. He could feel the small weight of the locket on his chest. The sun was setting as he walked from his house with a few necessary items he'd packed. Using the last light of the day, he pulled out the paper with the ingredients he'd never heard of. He was the son of a farmer in a small village. What did he know of harem jewels and gargoyles? And the dragon… But he wasn't going to think about that now. That could wait. He heaved a great sigh as he adjusted the pack on his back.

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**A/N: That's the end guys, hope u like it. I will update soon.**

**See ya!**

**Reviews?**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: This is the next chap guys! Please read and review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own IE GO Chrono Stone or anything else by Level-5, this is an AU, and a bit OOC-ness.**

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**Unconditionally Mission (and Love)**

**Chapter 5**

His first stop, he'd decided, was going to be the local tavern. All sorts of traveled and learned people stopped there, not to mention the drunkard willing to spill his guts on what these ingredients were.

As soon as he was within a rock's throw of the noisy tavern, he could hear the jaunty singing and talking. He took another reassuring breath, and opened the door.

Once he was inside, all of his senses were assaulted by the general atmosphere. The place had a chaotic atmosphere with golden lighting and customary, wooden tables and chairs. The tavern was filled with large, male bodies, giving the air an odd smell. Everyone was talking boisterously and the sound that filled his ears was equivalent to the noise of one thousand flies buzzing around a dung heap.

Einamu walked up to the bar and sat on a stool, not sure how to proceed from here.

"I'll just have water, please."

This got him an odd look from the bartender and those around him, but the rest of the bar seemed to remain oblivious to the new arrival.

The bartender came back with his drink and left him alone after that. As he drank, he looked around the room at the assortment people around him.

Everywhere around him was a combination of drunkards and ne'er-do-wells all having a grand time playing cards or drinking games. At first glance, it was hard to tell which in the tavern were the types of men Einamu was looking for. It seemed that most of them were locals who had never been outside the village before. As he was thinking this, he heard a gruff voice next to him.

"Gimme a pint and one order of the special."

He looked over at the newcomer to gauge him, but when he did, he didn't see anybody there. Just as he was about to turn away, a large green sack came flying up and landed on the bar. Einamu looked down to see where it came from, only to be met with a very grumpy looking troll trying, in vain, to hoist himself up onto the tall stool. He tried several times, but to no avail, for it was nearly impossible for such a short person to gain access to such a tall stool.

"Do you need help, sir?" he asked politely.

The troll turned his head and glared at him so quickly and so fiercely, that Einamu recoiled in his seat.

"No, I do not need your help. I don't need anyone's help, and especially not the help of a skinny runt like you!" he said in a voice that was both stern and mocking.

Had he not been raised better, he could have found plenty of things to reply to this, but instead he remained silent, almost dumbstruck.

"Oh, wipe that stupid look off your face."

The troll finally scrambled onto the stool, though how Einamu had no idea, but he did so in a manner that looked so uncomfortable and silly that he had to force himself not to laugh out loud. As the troll finally got situated and accepted his drink from the bartender he dug in heartily to the hot meal placed before him.

He looked at the troll oddly. He'd never seen a troll before, they all seemed to keep to their underground communities and usually never saw the light of day. His father had, though. He often talked about trolls and their ways and customs. Einamu often wondered how his father had known so much about the subject, but when he asked, his father always became somber and sad. Eventually he paid less heed to his father's stories, but now, he wished he'd paid better attention. He didn't know at all how to handle himself.

The troll was small to be sure, yet the way he held himself gave him an energy that seemed to protest the fact that he was a mere two feet, eleven inches tall, but instead a sturdy eight feet and nine inches and was willing to fight you to prove that he was right.

He was wearing rugged travel clothes and a belt that had many loops to hold weapons of all sorts, yet all he carried on him was a small axe about the size of his forearm. Instead what filled his belt, were leather tubes of all lengths. Einamu could only guess what was inside them, but he believed them to be scrolls of some sort. This puzzled Einamu because his father had always said that there was a saying in the troll communities. A troll is only as good as the weapon he carries. With this troll's weapon of choice being pieces of paper, he had to seriously doubt the troll's capabilities.

On the bar beside the troll was a medium sized green bag that seemed to be full up with… something. He couldn't quite tell, but while it didn't seem fit to bursting, it did look like it had a great volume. The troll suddenly looked at him with a mouthful of partially masticated food.

"Well, what are _you _looking at?" he said through chunks of roast chicken.

"I uh… Forgive me sir. I didn't mean any-"

"Didn't mean any…? Stop sputtering you doof and spit it out! Why in all my travels, I haven't seen anybody as empty headed as you!"

He decided to ignore the first part of the sentence and looked at the troll excitedly.

"Did you say travels? So, sir, do you move around a lot? Are you very experienced in the world?"

"Yeah I travel. I can't stay in one place and I've been just about everywhere. There are still a few places I haven't seen yet though…" the troll begrudgingly admitted. "But just what is it to you? So what if I travel?"

"Might I ask you a question sir? I wonder if you could tell me where a few things might be located. A man of your experience surely must know something!"

"Of course I know something! What fool doesn't? But it all depends on what you're looking for and whether I even want to help or not…"

Einamu produced the scroll from his pouch.

"Please sir. Can you tell me if you've ever seen this?"

He showed him the page that the Spellbinder had given him. On it were the names and a picture of each ingredient. He knew that he couldn't expect very much help from just the troll using the pictures, but he figured it might be worth a try.

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**A/N: And this is the end. I hope you liked it.**

**See ya!**

**Reviews?**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey guys this is the new chap. Now I will probably not be able to update so quickly since the damn school came on my head, so please enjoy this very short chap.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own IE GO Chrono Stone or anything else by Level-5, and a bit of OOC-ness.**

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**Unconditionally Mission (and Love)**

**Chapter 6**

The troll set aside his meat plate and wiped the crumbs from his beard. As he chewed thoughtfully on the remnants of his dinner, he looked over the three ingredients Einamu needed to find. Then all of a sudden, he grew excited and clutched the sheet of paper eagerly.

"Boy, do you know where these things are from? They're from the three most dangerous places in the world! All of these three ingredients lie in the lair of some beastly entity and are almost impossible to find! What do you need these for?"

"I'm on a quest." he said proudly.

The troll looked him up and down, pausing for a moment on the boy's face. Something changed in the troll's eyes, but the look was quickly replaced by disbelief. He didn't say anything else. He quickly looked over the scroll again. Then he let out a little chuckle.

"These places are so close to each other, and yet I've never been to any of them. Just kept putting them off to visit other places."

He set the scroll aside and emptied out his bag onto the bar. From out the bag came pouring map upon rolled up map that the troll had collected during his travels all of his years. He searched through them until he found the one he was looking for. It looked to be the smallest one there, and was tied up with a black ribbon. He undid the knot and unfurled the aged scroll.

The map was a maze of inky twists and turns. Every bit of information that could possibly be crammed onto a sheet of parchment that small was so crammed. If it were not for the barely visible compass rose, Einamu could not have discerned which direction was up and which direction was down.

Strange symbols and lettering was scribbled in empty corners. Symbols that he hadn't a clue as to what they were. What he could tell, however, was that on the map there were three spots of black which were circled in a red ink. Each seemed to indicate a specific place that the troll had apparently not yet traveled.

"What do the markings mean? If you don't mind my asking…" he added the last bit as the troll looked annoyed at him.

"A red circle means I want to go there and a black dot means it's too dangerous, not that it's any of your business." The troll stared at the three spots with longing.

Einamu knew he had to word the next part carefully lest he end up with nothing.

"I wonder, sir, might I borrow that map for a while? I promise on my life to return it to you, but that map is of great importance to me, and so if I could just use it for a while-"

"No. Absolutely _not_. My maps have invaluable information on them. Why I'd rather part with my soul first!"

The troll began stuffing the maps back into his sack.

"You're just going to have to deal with it yourself."

The troll hesitated as he looked longingly at the map showing the locations of the three most dangerous places in the world, but then quickly shoved it into his pack and began picking at the remnants of his meal.

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**A/N: That was, very short, I'm very sorry. I will try to update soon.**

**See ya! **

**Reviews?**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Sorry for waiting guys, but finally I could write this chap. Now, I don't know how long I made it, but I think it's enough. Also I'm not very sure when I'm going to update again since school will start to be very busy from the next week. So please enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own IE GO Chrono Stone or anything else by Level-5, and a bit of OOC-ness.**

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**Unconditionally Mission (and Love)**

**Chapter 7**

"Please, sir. I must get all these three ingredients or someone could die."

"People die all the time. It's just nature taking its course."

"The person could be the one I love, but only if I complete the quest. I beg you. Your maps could save lives and heartbreak."

The troll looked at him queerly.

"Do you know what you'd be getting yourself into, kid?"

Einamu nodded. He knew exactly what was ahead, and he was ready to face it. No matter what destiny tried to throw at him, nothing could be worse than being separated from Reiza. He reached up and fingered the locket. He held it in his palm feeling very glum indeed.

"Look," The troll said as he turned to face the boy.

"Let me tell you something. Not much time ago I was stupid like you, I had a friend, he was willful just like you. Now that I think of it, looked like you too, same look in the eyes. Anyhow, he always wanted to do crazy things just for the fun of it..."

"But it's not just for the fun of it! There's a girl, and she's the most beautiful creature in the world! If I'm to win her father's approval, I must complete the quest and find these ingredients to save her mother's life."

"Not worth it." The troll concluded. "What do you think your friends would say?"

"My master would be proud. I'm going to make him proud."

"That's why you want to do it? Who is your master anyway? Does he even know what you're doing?"

"Alpha." Einamu said, growing steadily frustrated. This troll might be his only hope, but even so his temper was aggravating. "I don't see how that's pertinent, though."

Einamu glared at the troll, waiting for his reply, but something had changed in his expression. The troll looked like he'd just been splashed with very cold water.

"What did you say?"

He looked at the troll oddly. "What?" he said.

"What was the name, idiot! Don't be daft!"

"Alpha! What of it?" Einamu was growing quite tired of being assaulted by the troll's temper.

The troll sat in disbelief. His mouth hung open and he could see an odd look of confusion in his eyes.

"So you're his friend," he finally said.

"Excuse me?"

"I'd known he left much time ago, but, friends? He had one." The troll silently stared at his dinner plate.

"You know him?" Einamu started to feel a bud of hope.

"He and I go way back. We split ways years ago, though. Then he went and had himself his only way..."

Einamu took a moment to let this soak in. "So," he began hesitantly. "You knew him? And who are you even?"

He just finished his question, to find right before his eyes a sparkling light which blinded him a some moments. Opening one eye, standing in front of him was no more the grumpy face of the troll, but a young boy, maybe a little older than him, with cream-colored spiky hair, pale white skin and purple eyes. Einamu looked at him with a puzzled face, before being cut off.

"Don't be slow. Isn't that what I just said?"

Einamu stood confused before coming back to reality.

"Then, as a service to a friend, won't you help me? This quest I'm on, it's of the utmost importance. I have to find these items. For her."

He looked at the boy in disbelief.

"Listen, do yourself a favor. Forget about her. She isn't worth what you want to do. I mean, look at you. You're just a kid. Does Alpha even know you're out here?"

"Well…" Einamu stammered. "Not _actually_, but..."

The person snorted, taking him by surprise. Then the snort turned into a chuckle, then a guffaw, until he was full out laughing.

Laughing so hard that Einamu was quite afraid that he would tumble off his stool. Just as he was starting to become concerned that he would never stop and in fact suffocate, the boy's laughter began to subside and he began to wipe the tears from his eyes.

"Just like his master."

Einamu thought he heard his say, but he would never be quite sure. He turned to him, finally getting a hold of himself.

"Do you feel confident? You've got only a single weapon on you and nary a bit of experience under your belt. What makes you so special? What makes you able to do what not a single soul has ever done before? May be Alpha your master, but I don't think even he would attempt something so foolish."

Einamu sat and pondered the troll's words. What did make him so special? What was going to push him forward to conquer all in his path?

"I won't let myself be defeated." He finally said, looking at him straight in his violet eyes.

He sat back in his seat with his forehead scrunched. His eyes flickered from Einamu to his bag of maps. Einamu could see the conflict in his eyes. He crossed his fingers.

Then he groaned and stuffed the last of his meal in his mouth.

"Well there's absolutely no way I'm going to let you walk off with one of my maps."

Einamu looked down in defeat.

"So it looks like I'll just have to come with you then. From the looks of it," he said as he licked his fingers of the grease.

"You wouldn't last a day without my help, and," he sighed heavily. "I owe it to Alpha."

He placed his money on the bare beside his empty plate, grabbed his bag of maps, and hopped off his stool.

"By the way, the name's Gamma. Meet back here at daybreak. We'll start from there."

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**A/N: Well that's the end. It will much more action starting from the next chap. Thanks for reading. Reviews are more than welcome.**

**See ya!**

**Reviews?**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hey guys. Sorry for taking so long to write, but I was extremely busy this weekend. Anyways, here's the new chap. I hope you like it. Read, complain, and review, if you want of course!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own IE GO Chrono Stone or anything else by Level-5, and some OOC-ness. That's all! Enjoy!**

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**Unconditionally Mission (and Love)**

**Chapter 8**

Einamu arrived at the assigned meeting place even before the sun had peeped from the horizon. However, there was another three hours before Gamma finally scurried up the road to the tavern.

"Where were you?" Einamu asked, very annoyed though he tried not to let it show. The boy glared at him as he lifted off his pack and let it drop heavily to the ground.

"Keep your shirt on. It took a little more time than I bargained it would to gather the supplies I'll need."

He looked at him in surprise.

"What kind of supplies?" He'd thought he'd packed everything one would need on a quest. Though it looked like he should have packed another blanket.

Gamma searched through his pack and produced the map they would need and a knobby walking stick that was about as tall as him.

"I was running low on ink and paint and the markets a bit more crowded than I'd bargained for."

"What do you need those things for?" Einamu knew they shouldn't be standing around and simply talking and his feet were itching to move, but curiosity got the better of him.

"You think I just found these maps? I'm a cartographer," he snapped. "It's my job to chart every place I go."

"Sorry," He said, regretting the question.

"I've just never seen a troll or whatever you are before who spends much time above ground. Why didn't you stay in the UnderWorld? Alpha mentioned you, but he never said why you came above ground."

Gamma shoved his pack closed and swung it violently over his shoulder.

"You ask too many questions. Do you want to get going or not? You're wasting daylight and if I don't get you back to Alpha soon he'll have my hide!"

Einamu, who had begun swinging his things onto his back, stopped and stared at the troll.

"Wait a minute. Does that mean you talked to him?"

But Gamma had already begun walking quite quickly down the path, quicker than Einamu would have expected him to go.

"Hey!" He called out, "Stop! I asked you a question!" He had to jog to catch up to him. "You know," Einamu said between steps. "For someone so short, you do walk awfully fast."

As soon as the words came out of his mouth, he felt a something hard hit the back of his knee, and felt his legs buckling under him with a force that sent him sprawling out on the dusty path.

Gamma hefted his stick and continued walking with as much speed as ever.

"Hey! What was that for?" Einamu yelled out, dusting dirt off of him as he ran to catch up.

"First, I am not short, that's my troll form, and second, NO more short jokes!" Gamma called over his shoulder.

When they had been walking for a good while, Gamma suddenly stopped, causing Einamu to bump into him.

"Why did we stop?" he asked, putting a hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Calm down, _Lancelot_," Gamma said, eyeing his sword.

"I'm only stopping to make a few preparations." He grabbed a pen shaft from out of his pack, along with two sheets of blank parchment.

"Preparations for what? Should we really stop now? We've not walked for very long." Einamu fingered the hilt of his sword.

He wanted to start his quest as soon as possible. If Gamma's maps were accurate, then the Cave of Wanting wasn't very far from here. The first ingredient shouldn't be very hard to get. Einamu was convinced that the only reason someone hadn't already survived the cave was because they couldn't find it in the first place.

"My maps stop here," he said as he analyzed the blank sheet before him and made the first mark with his pen. "Time to pick up the trail once more."

Einamu sighed as he looked off into the horizon. "But what about that other map? It had the general path on it. What's wrong with that?"

Gamma didn't take his eyes off his map. Already the lower half of the map was beginning to fill with his strange markings and symbols.

"You think I'd settle for that vague thing? Cartography is an art, and whoever made that map was slacking."

Einamu sighed quietly to himself. He knew that he was indebted to Gamma for the use of his maps, but did he have to take so long?

"How far away is where we're headed, do you think?"

"The forest we're headed to isn't that far along. Maybe an hour or two more hours of traveling?"

"The forest?" Einamu ran through a mental map of his own, trying to figure out which forest was closest to where they were.

"Surely you've heard of the Great Forest. It's the biggest in the area, you know."

Of course he had heard of it. The forest was so dense and overpopulated with trees and other like vegetation, that scarcely anyone lived there and even fewer traveled through. The mystical beings of the world tended to thrive in such places as these, taking shelter in the trees that were as old as themselves. Any man who entered ran a risk of being placed under a spell.

"We have to go in there?" He tried not to let the trepidation show in his voice.

"That's where the cave is." Gamma said curtly as he made more curving, inky lines on the white paper.

Einamu sighed and kicked the dirt at his feet.

"Hey, Shorty?" he called out.

Gamma stopped his mapmaking and turned to fix Einamu with a look that seemed to ask if the boy was crazy by giving him a nickname.

Einamu smiled smugly at him. "Can we get going now?" And with that, he started walking down the path again.

Gamma stared at him dumbfounded for a while.

"No." He grumbled, but walked quickly to catch up, jotting down markings on his map.

Every now and then, Gamma would come to a complete halt in the middle of the path. If Einamu protested his pace, Gamma would simply glare at him with a look that was meant to remind him that it was his maps that they were using to get to the cave, and that Einamu had best not open his mouth to complain.

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**A/N: Now I have some things I want to say first. I will be, unfortunately, on hiatus for this and next week. School it's hard, even at my age, so I hope you understand me, right? But don't worry I will read, review and maybe to send PM, but I'm not going to write. Same for my other fic Captured In My Own Dream.**

**Anyways, I hope you liked this chapter, sorry for not being so long, I tried, I'm sorry for the bad news, but that's life, I'm sorry.**

**See ya in two weeks!**

**Reviews?**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hey guys. I'm terribly sorry for my lateness, I was busy with school... Know the story right? Anyways, cuz I didn't update this fic in about a week, I wrote a much longer chap for you minna, so I really hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own IE GO Chrono Stone or anything else by Level-5, OOC-ness and that's all.**

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**Unconditionally Mission (and Love)**

**Chapter 9**

Whenever Gamma was taking a particularly long while deciding what the best cartographic method was to properly document their travels, Einamu would practice with the sword.

He would lunge and parry at an evil sapling or a dastardly shrub. With every strike he made, the blade of the sword seemed to glow a bright, light blue. At first, he was scarce sure he saw it, but the more he practiced and the better he performed, the brighter the glow became.

When Einamu asked Gamma why the sword lit up, he responded simply that it was magical. He didn't press further when he saw the look of annoyance on Gamma's face at being bothered while working, but he had to wonder how he knew such things.

It was several hours before sunset when they finally reached the unmarked site where Gamma said they should turn.

Einamu looked dubiously at the unmarked and dense area he had indicated.

"There isn't anything here, Shorty. How can you be sure?"

He lifted his stick to indicate a pile of dead branches.

"Just move that away and you'll see. And for the last time, don't call me Shorty."

He did as he was instructed, smiling smugly at the discovery of the nickname, though proceeded with doubt. When the pile was moved away, however, not much had changed.

All that was there were huge trunks of even bigger trees that had grown so closely together that there seemed hardly to be any space to walk between them. As he looked closer though, he saw a thin trail beaten into the ground, probably by the flora and fauna.

"Do you really expect us to go in there?"

"Stop complaining and start moving. You want to get there by sundown don't you? If we don't, there's no telling what could happen to us in there." Gamma pushed passed him and started walking between the closely set trees, adding to his map every several feet.

His last statement made his step falter for a moment but, not wanting to be left too far behind, Einamu decided he should just follow, though that would be very difficult as the small gap did not provide much room for his body.

Here's where it would all begin. Einamu reached up and closed his fingers around the locket. He stepped through the trees and followed Gamma.

"Are we lost?"

It had been sometime since they had started through the dense forest, and while to Einamu each tree looked about the same as every other tree, Gamma had been purposely moving forward for a while, seeming to know where they were headed. However, now his pace seemed to slow.

Gamma answered him with a grunt. The path they'd been following had dwindled down to a barely visible line in the dirt and he was now going only on what little he knew from his maps, which didn't seem to be very much.

"Might I have a look?" Einamu asked as politely as he could.

He ignored him.

He let a few seconds pass as they walked deeper and deeper into the forest.

"Well then, might I ask the nature of our problem? Because we do have a problem, don't we?"

"Just a little turned around is all. Nothing _you_ can do about it." Gamma turned his map this way and that, trying to locate their exact location.

Einamu set his jaw.

"Listen. We're not going to get anywhere if you don't let me help. I know you're a great mapmaker and all, but this is unfamiliar territory for both of us. Now I know you think I can't help at all, but I can at least try. Two heads are better than one, right?"

He looked up at him sharply. "Exactly what kind of help could you provide?"

"Do you know how far we've traveled so far?" Einamu asked without bothering to be offended at the implication.

"Well judging by the pain in my feet and the time that's passed, I'd say about two miles." Gamma looked unhappily at his feet as if to console them.

"Hmm… that makes sense."

"What does?" he demanded.

"Well, while we were walking, I was counting trees." Einamu paused to take in the odd look Gamma was giving him.

"Well there was nothing else to do. Continuing. Judging from their width and the markings I see on every hundred or so tree, I do believe that someone was here before… The markings on the tree seem to represent a milestone. We've passed two already."

Gamma looked at his map unbelievingly. Einamu saw that he'd made a point.

"Fine. You wanna try to figure it out? Be my guest." Gamma shoved the map at him, taking him a bit by surprise.

Einamu looked at the map. The squiggles and scrawls made his head hurt, but… He could gather what direction they needed to go: North.

"Which way are we facing now?" Einamu asked, still looking at the map.

"I can't say for sure. That is, we got too turned around." Gamma looked away and glared at the ground. He was obviously embarrassed.

"Well, it looks like we need to head north right about now. If we continue on for a ways we'll reach the entrance to the cave by sundown."

"That… makes sense." He scanned the tree line thoughtfully, and then looked pointedly at Einamu.

"But how do you know which direction we're going to have to go?"

Einamu thought for a moment. They needed to go north from here. He looked up at the canopy of the great forest, but the trees were too tall and clustered that he couldn't tell which direction the sun was shining from. He tried to remember all the tricks his master taught him.

When he was growing up on his farm, he and his master used to go out into a nearby wood and explore. Alpha would teach him about the different plants and animals and how to survive.

His eyes lit up in remembrance. He started circling a nearby tree as best he could.

"What are you doing now?" Gamma said almost nonchalantly. He must have been tired.

"Using a natural compass. Moss always grows on the north side of the tree. Find the moss, and… Ah ha!"

He placed his hands on the plant and then turned to face the direction they needed to go. At his feet there was no path that they could follow.

"We just have to make sure that we keep heading north. If we can do that, then we'll make it." Einamu said as he aligned himself in a northerly direction.

"And how are we to do that?" Gamma said as he looked slyly at him.

Einamu didn't even have to think on the solution to this question.

"Just follow the moss. If you can't do that, then pick a tree in the distance and walk to it. Then pick another tree after that. That should hold you on a steady course."

Gamma smiled to himself. "Very good."

He said to Einamu as he began to head in the direction he had chosen.

Einamu stood there, confused, while he tried to puzzle out what just happened.

"Wait a second," he called out. "You knew all the time, didn't you? That was just a test!"

Gamma didn't say anything, but simply raised his hand and beckoned Einamu to follow him.

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**A/N: The End! I hope you like it. I will update as soon as possible. Remember, reviews are more than welcome.**

**See ya!**

**Reviews?**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Jeez, when was my last update for this fic again?! Anyways, here it is again. Pls enjoy this chap minna-san.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own IE GO Chrono Stone or anything else by Level-5, AU and some OOC-ness, that's it.**

* * *

**Unconditionally Mission (and Love)**

**Chapter 10**

Einamu started to say something else, but then decided it wasn't worth it. He chose a tree on the northern horizon and started walking towards it. He reached up and held the locket in between his fingers while he walked. It soon grew warm from his heat.

He never bothered to look to see what was inside the locket. Neither did Reiza. If she hadn't, then what right had he? He suspected some loving inscription from the life of a happy family to be carved inside, or mayhap a lock of hair belonging to her mother.

Whatever was inside, he would keep it safe. The locket was his only connection to Reiza. And, as he and Gamma were walking through the forest to an unknown fate, he missed her. He missed her smile, her laugh, the way she crossed her legs at the ankle, and how she smelled.

This was all for her. It was all for Reiza. If he had any chance of proving himself to her father, he would take it. And so he did, but was he really ready? Only with the help of a stranger who turned out to be his master's closest friends was he able to even locate the cave, and what was he to do once he went inside?

All of these thoughts twirled around in Einamu's head as he walked down the too small path and towards the first item he needed and, before he knew it, he was daydreaming.

He thought of her, and of the life they would have, but he also thought of Gamma and his master. What were they like when they had known each other? He wondered what it was that had separated them.

Before he realized it, they saw a small break in the trees. Inside the break in the trees, was a large stone rise with a gaping hole in it, forming the look of a moaning ghost. As they entered the clearing, Einamu could have sworn that the air became warmer, as if the sun were shining through the canopy right on top of them.

"Here we are," said Gamma, quite unenthusiastically.

Einamu stretched once and then pulled out his sword, the metal clanging against the sheath and making a very satisfying noise. They had about an hour until sunset. An hour, he thought, to go in, get the harem jewels, and get out.

"What do you think is in there?" Einamu asked Gamma as he set down his bag and started putting away his maps and ink.

He straightened up and looked into the mouth of the cave. The darkness within was so deep that it looked like you could fall in and drown. They'd need a lantern and maybe rope.

"Whatever it is it can't be good." He took his cap off and wiped his brow. "Are you going to go in there alone?" He looked at him wearily. Einamu knew that as a friend of his master Gamma probably wanted to follow and make sure Einamu got out okay, but…

"It's my quest. I'm doing it alone. I can definitely handle whatever's in there." he slid his sword back in its sheath. "By myself," he added.

Gamma shook his head. "It could get ugly in there. You're just a kid, anyway. I should go in." He took out his tiny axe and looked at it doubtfully as did Einamu.

"Can you fight?" he asked with the same doubt.

Gamma swung his axe cautiously out in front of him. "Well, no. Not really."

"Do you have a good aim with that axe?'' he asked.

"I've never actually tried, really." Gamma said hesitantly. He decided to test his arm, aiming for a nearby tree trunk but hitting the ground instead.

They both looked at the fallen axe for a while before Einamu walked over and picked it up.

Examining the axe, Einamu said, "Somebody needs to stay behind and watch the stuff. Who knows what could happen to it if we leave it out here, and we can't take it inside or it might get in the way of fighting." He looked at Gamma carefully, hoping that the need for him to remain outside, however small that need might be, would ease the his embarrassment driven will for him to accompany Einamu.

"Right," Gamma said decidedly. "I guess that has to be me." He accepted the axe as Einamu gave it back to him, and went to sit by the bag that he had dropped in a heap by the mouth of the cave.

"How will I know to come in and save you if you get in trouble?"

Einamu smiled. Gamma was probably as nervous as he was. But any nervousness had to be pushed aside for now. He just had to go in and get out. Simple. Easy.

"If I'm not back by morning..."

"Go in and get you."

Einamu smiled again. "Yeah."

He gathered up what he would need: a rope, a lantern, and flint. He tightened the strap of his sheath and took out his sword. He could see it faintly glowing a light blue. He stroked the hilt and silently thanked Reiza's father for the gift. Without it, he wouldn't know what to do.

He stuck the sword back in its sleeve and turned to face the mouth of the cave.

"Good luck." Gamma said with a quiet smile. The boy really did remind him of Alpha.

He struck the flint and lit the lantern, it's light glowed softly in the last light of the day. Soon it would be dark, and Einamu would be facing something he'd never faced before. He stretched out the lantern in his hand and tried to see what lay before him. He could not.

He sighed and forced a smile, turning around to face Gamma. "See you soon, Shorty."

Einamu walked into the cave.

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**A/N: I know it's very short, but I just hit writer's block for all my fics. Gomen! **

**See ya!**

**Reviews?**


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